Werner Hartenstein

Werner Hartenstein

Werner Hartenstein
Born 27 February 1908(1908-02-27)
Plauen
Died 8 March 1943(1943-03-08) (aged 35)
Atlantic Ocean
Allegiance Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Reichsmarine
 Kriegsmarine
Years of service 1928–1943
Rank Korvettenkapitän
Unit SSS Niobe
cruiser Emden
Meteor
cruiser Köln
torpedo boat Greif
Commands held torpedo boat Seeadler
torpedo boat Jaguar
U-156
Battles/wars

Spanish Civil War
World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gustav Julius Werner Hartenstein (27 February 1908 – 8 March 1943) was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of U-156. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He is credited with the sinking of 20 ships for a total of 97,504 gross register tons (GRT), further damaging three ships of 18,811 GRT and damaging one warship of 1,190 GRT.

Hartenstein joined the Reichsmarine of the Weimar Republic in 1928. After a period of training on surface vessels and service on various torpedo boats, he transferred to the U-boat service in 1941. In September 1942, Hartenstein was involved in the Laconia incident. He and the entire crew of U-156 were killed in action by depth charges from a US PBY Catalina aircraft on 8 March 1943.

Contents

Early life and pre-war service

Hartenstein was born in Plauen in the Vogtland of the Kingdom of Saxony on 27 February 1908. He was the second child of William Karl Adolf Hartenstein, an export merchant, and Selma Emma Hartenstein, née Schlingensiepen.[1] Hartenstein had an older sister, Thea Irena, and a younger sister, Charlotte. He celebrated his confirmation in 1923 and graduated from the humanistische Staatsgymnasium (humanities-oriented secondary school) in Plauen with his Abitur (diploma) in 1926. After graduation in 1926 he applied for naval officer cadetship but was rejected at first, instead he studied two semesters of jurisprudence.[2] He matriculated at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (University of Freiburg) in Freiburg im Breisgau on 29 April 1927.[3]

Aged 20, Hartenstein re-applied, was accepted and began his naval career with the Reichsmarine on 1 April 1928 as a member "Crew 1928" (the incoming class of 1928). He underwent basic military training in the 2nd department (II. Abteilung) of the standing ship division (Schiffsstammdivision) of the Baltic Sea in Stralsund (1 April 1928 – 30 June 1928). Hartenstein was then transferred to the training ship Niobe (1 July 1928 – 15 October 1928) attaining the rank of Seekadett (Naval Cadet) on 11 October 1928. Following a 14 month stay onboard cruiser Emden (16 October 1928 – 3 January 1930) he advanced in rank to Fähnrich zur See (Ensign) on 1 January 1930. Hartenstein then underwent a number of officer training courses at the Naval Academy at Mürwik, including navigational training cruises on the survey vessel Meteor, before transferring to the light cruiser Köln (1 October 1931 – 23 September 1934). His stay on Köln was occasionally interrupted to attend further training courses at Wilhelmshaven and Kiel-Wik. During this assignment on 30 January 1933, the Nazi Party, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, came to power in Germany, ushering in a period of naval rearmament. In 1935, the Reichsmarine was renamed the Kriegsmarine.[4]

Hartenstein served as I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on torpedo boat Greif from 30 September 1936 to 13 November 1938.[5] Hartenstein was promoted to Kapitänleutnant (captain lieutenant) on 1 June 1937. He participated in several patrols in 1937 to 1938 on board Greif in Spanish waters as part of the "Legion Condor" during the Spanish Civil War. For these services he was awarded the Spanish Cross in Bronze (Spanienkreuz in Bronze) on 6 June 1936.[6]

World War II

At the outbreak of World War II, Hartenstein continued to command torpedo boats. In this position, he completed 65 patrols in the North Sea, Norwegian waters, Bay of Biscay and in the English Channel in the first one and a half years of the war.[7] Hartenstein took command of torpedo boat Seeadler on 20 November 1938.[8] In October 1939 Hartenstein transferred and switched command of torpedo boat Jaguar with Kapitänleutnant Franz Kohlauf who took over command of Seeadler.[9] On 30 March 1941, command of Jaguar was given to Kapitänleutnant Friedrich-Karl Paul and Hartenstein transferred to the U-boat force, and on 4 September 1941 given command of U-156. For his service on torpedo boats, Hartenstein was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 2 February 1942.[5] Karl Dönitz personnally pinned the German Cross in Gold on Harteinstein's leather jacket on 17 March 1942.[7] Initially U-156 was assigned to the 4th U-boat Flotilla at Stettin as a training boat. It then transferred to the 2nd U-boat Flotilla at Lorient, France on 31 December 1941.[5]

First patrol

Hartenstein's first patrol (24 December 1941 – 10 January 1942) was an uneventful transfer patrol taking U-156 from Kiel to Lorient.[5] U-156, together with U-87 and U-753, transiting through the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal, passing Brunsbüttel where they joined up with a Sperrbrecher (pathfinder or minesweeper) and U-135. The convoy received aerial protection by a number of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft and split up once they reached Cuxhaven. Passing south of the Shetland Islands, bypassing the Hebrides, U-156 slowly approached Rockall, where two weather buoys were released. The first buoy, "WFB 33" (Wetterfunkgeräte/Boje—weather radio buoy) was released on 7 January 1942 at . The second buoy, "WFB 32" was released on 8 January 1942 at 02:44 at in the Porcupine Bank. U-156 received a radio message on the evening of 8 January ordering Hartenstein to proceed to Lorient at high speed where it arrived on 10 January 1942.[10]

Second patrol

On his second patrol (19 January 1942 – 17 March 1942) Hartenstein commanded a wolfpack of U-boats (Gruppe Neuland—Group New Land) during the Attack on Aruba in February 1942, attacking an oil refinery. On 16 February, after observing the area for a few days, U-156 came around to the refineries. There in front of her target were two Lago Company flat bottom steamers, SS Pedernales and Oranjestad, both British owned oilers. At 01:31, U-156 surfaced in San Nicolaas Harbor some 1.5 km (0.81 nmi; 0.93 mi) offshore and attacked the two British tankers at anchor. Hartenstein fired one torpedo from his bow tubes at Pedernales. The torpedo attack was successful and Pedernales was hit midship. Loaded with crude oil, the steamer immediately burst into flames, killing eight of her 26 crewmen and wounding her captain Herbert McCall. Oranjestad then began to lift anchor and steam away but she was too late and was hit by a second torpedo fired from U-156. She too burst into flames and an hour later, sunk in about 70 m (230 ft) of water. Fifteen of her 22 crewmen were killed.[11]

At 03:13, U-156 attacked the Texaco owned tanker SS Arkansas which was berthed at Eagle Beach next to the Arend/Eagle Refinery. Just one of the torpedoes struck Arkansas and partially sank her but the damage was moderate and caused no casualties. Commander Hartenstein then steamed further around Aruba and directed his men to take to the deck guns and prepare for a naval bombardment of the large oil tank of the Lago Oil & Transport Co. Ltd. The crew of the 10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun forgot to remove the water cap from the barrel, so when Hartenstein ordered them to fire, the gun blew up. Gunnery Officer Dietrich von dem Borne was wounded badly, one foot having been severed. His comrade and trigger man Heinrich Büssinger was badly wounded as well and died several hours after the attack. Hartenstein ordered the 37 mm (1.46 in) flak gun to continue the attack.[12]

Third patrol

On Hartenstein's third patrol (22 April 1942 – 7 July 1942), U-156 sank 12 ships and damaged a further two, including the USS Blakeley on 25 May 1942. This achievement earned Hartenstein a reference in the Wehrmachtbericht on 6 June 1942. The Wehrmachtbericht was an information bulletin issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht. To be singled out individually in the Wehrmachtbericht was an honour and was entered in the Orders and Decorations' section of a soldier's Service Record Book.[13]

U-156 positioned near Fort-de-France was ordered to observe the traffic to and from Martinique. Lying roughly 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) off shore, the hydrophones detected a ship. Hartenstein attacked from a submerged position firing two torpedoes. One torpedo struck the bow of the Blakeley after a 25-second run-time. Hartenstein observed that the bow was completely blown away but its engines kept running. The waters around Martinique were extremely shallow and Hartenstein decided not to pursue the destroyer.[14] During this patrol, Hartenstein was promoted to Korvettenkapitän (corvette captain) on 1 June 1942.[15] The 1st watch officer, Paul Just, left U-156 after returning from the third patrol. Just was replaced by Oberleutnant zur See Leopold Schumacher as new 1st watch officer. Just later became commander of U-6, U-151 and U-546.[16]

Fourth patrol and Laconia incident

On U-156's fourth patrol (20 August 1942 – 16 November 1942), Hartenstein sank and then organised the rescue of the survivors of RMS Laconia, resulting in the "Laconia incident" and "Laconia order".[17]

On 12 September 1942 U-156 was patrolling off the coast of West Africa midway between Liberia and Ascension Island roughly 600 nautical miles (1,100 km; 690 mi) south of Cape Palmas. At 11:37 the aft port lookout sighted a smoke stack at 230 degrees. Hartenstein followed the target, which was zigzagging at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph), until the general direction of the large ocean liner became evident. U-156 was running at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) into a favourable attack position. Hartenstein ordered the attack at 21:07. He slowed speed at 22:00 and ordered a surfaced deflection shot from torpedo tubes I and III. After three minutes and six seconds the first torpedo detonated followed shortly by the second.[17] He hoped to capture the ship's senior officers. To his surprise, Hartenstein saw over two thousand people struggling in the water. Hartenstein immediately began rescue operations. Laconia sank at 23:23.[18]

At 01:25 on 13 September 1942 Hartenstein radioed the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (BdU—commander of U-boats) requesting guidance and confirmation on how to proceed. The BdU responded at 03:45 ordering Wolf pack Eisbär, consisting of U-507 under the command of Harro Schacht, U-506 under the command of Erich Würdemann and U-459 under the command of Georg von Wilamowitz-Möllendorf to assist Hartenstein immediately.[19] At 06:00 Hartenstein ordered that the following message be sent on the 25m wavelength:[20]

"If any ship will assist the ship-wrecked Laconia crew, I will not attack providing I am not being attacked by ship or air forces. I picked up 193 men. 4°53 South/11°26 West – German submarine"[20]

The message was repeated twice on the international 600m wavelength.[20] The BdU later changed the order slightly and U-506, U-507 and the Italian submarine Capellini were dispatched. In parallel U-156 was assisting and supplying the survivors in the numerous lifeboats that kept arriving or were picked up. U-506 arrived at 11:32 on 14 September 1942, followed by U-507 in the afternoon of 15 September.[21] Heading to a rendezvous with Vichy French ships under Red Cross banners, the U-boats were attacked by a U.S. Army B-24 Liberator bomber (343d Bomb Squadron; Lieutenant James D. Harden) at 12:32 on 16 September 1942.[22] The attack ordered by Captain Robert C. Richardson III, which killed a number of people in the lifeboats and damaged U-156, forced Hartenstein to abandon the rescue operations.[23] A majority of survivors were later rescued by British merchant ships and two unarmed Vichy French warships, the cruiser Gloire and the sloop Annamite, out of Dakar, Africa.[24]

This event later became known as the "Laconia incident" and led BdU Admiral Karl Dönitz to issue the "Laconia order" to his U-boat commanders that stated in part "No attempt of any kind must be made at rescuing members of ships sunk..." At the end of the war, the Laconia Order was unsuccessfully used against Admiral Dönitz in his war crime trial, because Fleet Admiral Nimitz testified that in the war with Japan the United States Navy had followed the same general policy as was set forth in the German admiral's directive.[25]

U-156 received a radio message on 17 September 1942 indicating that Werner Hartenstein, as the 63rd member of the U-boat service and 125th of the Kriegsmarine, had been awarded Germany's highest military honour, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.[26] Hartenstein handed out one bottle of beer for each member of the crew. Celebrating the event, Hartenstein held a speech, honouring the achievements of everyone and telling them that he would wear the decoration in their name.[27]

On 19 September 1942, U-156 was roughly 800 nautical miles (1,500 km; 920 mi) south of Freetown and the crew was still repairing minor damage, when the lookout spotted a ship at 04:30. The target was the British ship Quebec City, en route from Cape Town to Freetown. Hartenstein attacked from a submerged position and hit Quebec City with one torpedo fired from tube VI. Hartenstein surfaced and approached the lifeboats and asked the survivors for the ship's name. Quebec City did not sink easily and U-156 fired 58 rounds from the 37 mm (1.46 in) flak gun and seven further shots from the 10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun before Hartenstein ordered a cease fire. Coupled with a direct hit in the ship's stern ammunition magazine, followed by an explosion, Quebec City slowly sinks.[28] According to William Clark, a member of Quebec City's crew, Hartenstein made sure that the survivors had enough water and provisions and that Captain William Thomas had the exact coordinates. This story of that attack and the impression that the humanitarian actions of Hartenstein made is documented in the book by David Cledlyn Jones, The Enemy We Killed, My Friend.[29] Jones states that Hartgenstein was concerned about the survivors’ well-being but did not inquire about provisions, nor did he offer additional food or water. Hartgenstein did express that it would have been his wish to tow them at least some distance to the African coast explaining that he was not able to do so as he recently had been attacked while attempting to aid survivors.[30]

Fifth patrol and death

During his fifth patrol, on 8 March 1943, Hartenstein and the entire crew of U-156 were killed in action by depth charges from a US PBY Catalina aircraft (VP-53/P-1; Lieutenant E. Dryden), east of Barbados. The Catalina dropped four Mark 44 Torpex water-bombs at 13:15 from an altitude of 75 feet (23 m) to 100 feet (30 m) which straddled U-156. Two bombs were observed to hit the water 10 feet (3.0 m) to 15 feet (4.6 m) starboard and just aft of U-156, lifting it and breaking it in two, followed by an explosion. At least eleven survivors were seen swimming in the water. The Americans dropped two rubber rafts and rations, and five men were seen to reach one the rafts. The USS Barney was dispatched from Trinidad to rescue the survivors. The search was abandoned on 12 March 1943. Korvettenkapitän Ernst Kals, chief of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla at Lorient, sent a letter to Werner Hartenstein's parents on the 23 April 1943 indicating that their son had been posted as missing in action as of 12 March 1943.[Note 1] US officials announced the destruction of the U-boat on 10 May 1943.[32]

In popular culture

German actor Ken Duken played commander Werner Hartenstein in the 2011 TV mini-series The Sinking of the Laconia.[33]

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As a U-boat commander of U-156 Werner Hartenstein is credited with the sinking of 20 ships (including the motor boat Letitia Porter on board of Koenjit) for a total of 97,504 gross register tons (GRT), further damaging three ships of 18,811 GRT and damaging one warship, the USS Blakeley, of 1,190 GRT.[34]

Date Time Name of Ship Flag Tonnage Fate
16 February 1942 08:01 Pedernales  United Kingdom 4,317 damaged at [34]
16 February 1942 08:03 Oranjestad  United Kingdom 2,396 sunk at [34]
16 February 1942 09:43 Arkansas  United States 6,452 damaged at [34]
20 February 1942 11:31 Delplata  United States 5,127 sunk at [34]
25 February 1942 02:19 La Carrière  United Kingdom 5,685 sunk at [34]
27 February 1942 10:35 Macgregor  United Kingdom 2,498 sunk at [34]
28 February 1942 11:17 Oregon  United States 7,017 sunk at [34]
13 May 1942 03:58 Koenjit  Netherlands 4,551 sunk at [34]
13 May 1942 03:58 Letitia Porter  Netherlands 15 sunk at [34]
13 May 1942 22:05 City of Melbourne  United Kingdom 6,630 sunk at [34]
15 May 1942 02:54 Siljestad  Norway 4,301 sunk at [34]
15 May 1942 20:59 Kupa  Yugoslavia 4,382 sunk at [34]
17 May 1942 21:04 Barrdale  United Kingdom 5,072 sunk at [34]
18 May 1942 10:18 Quaker City  United States 4,961 sunk at [34]
18 May 1942 18:52 San Eliseo  United Kingdom 8,042 damaged at [34]
21 May 1942 18:29 Presidente Trujillo  Dominican Republic 1,668 sunk at [34]
25 May 1942 15:52 USS Blakeley  United States 1,190 damaged at [34]
29 May 1942 01:03 Norman Prince  United Kingdom 1,913 sunk at [34]
1 June 1942 23:51 Alegrete  Brazil 5,970 sunk at [34]
3 June 1942 09:26 Lillian  United Kingdom 80 sunk at [34]
24 June 1942 08:10 Willimantic  United Kingdom 4,857 sunk at [34]
27 August 1942 01:00 Clan Macwhirter  United Kingdom 5,941 sunk at [34]
12 September 1942 22:07 Laconia  United Kingdom 19,695 sunk at [34]
19 September 1942 15:46 Quebec City  United Kingdom 4,745 sunk at [34]

Awards

Promotions

11 October 1928: Seekadett (Midshipman)[15]
1 April 1929: Matrosengefreiter (Seaman 2nd class)[15]
1 January 1930: Fähnrich zur See (Ensign)[15]
1 April 1932: Oberfähnrich zur See (Senior Ensign)[15]
1 October 1932: Leutnant zur See (Second Lieutenant at sea)[15]
1 September 1934: Oberleutnant zur See (First Lieutenant at sea)[15]
1 June 1937: Kapitänleutnant (Captain Lieutenant)[15]
1 June 1942: Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain)[15]

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
Saturday, 6 June 1942 Bei den Erfolgen deutscher Unterseeboote in Amerikanischen Gewässern hat sich das Boot des Korvettenkapitäns Hartenstein besonders ausgezeichnet.[38] The boat of Corvette Captain Hartenstein has particularly distinguished itself in the success of German submarines in American waters.

Notes

  1. ^ U-156 had sent the last radio message to the BdU on 7 March 1943. This message informed the BdU of heavy air surveillance in the area of operations. The message also informed the BdU of the uselessness of the Metox radar warning receiver. It also reported of high precision aerial attacks made at night without the aid of search lights. The BdU for the first time requested U-156 to report back on 12 March 1943. The request was repeated again on 16, 17, 18, 19 and for the last time on 24 March 1943.[31]

References

Citations
  1. ^ Röll 2011, p. 72.
  2. ^ Jones 1999, p. 108.
  3. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 51–53, 72.
  4. ^ Busch and Röll 2003, p. 257.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Busch and Röll 2003, p. 258.
  6. ^ Röll 2011, p. 73.
  7. ^ a b Röll 2011, p. 34.
  8. ^ Hildebrand, Röhr and Steinmetz 1993, volume 7 p. 156.
  9. ^ Hildebrand, Röhr and Steinmetz 1993, volume 4 p. 224.
  10. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 16–18.
  11. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 21–22.
  12. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 22–25.
  13. ^ Röll 2011, p. 67.
  14. ^ Röll 2011, p. 46.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i Röll 2011, p. 152.
  16. ^ Röll 2011, p. 66.
  17. ^ a b Röll 2011, p. 83.
  18. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 85–86.
  19. ^ Röll 2011, p. 87.
  20. ^ a b c Röll 2011, p. 89.
  21. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 92–95.
  22. ^ Röll 2011, p. 115.
  23. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 146–147.
  24. ^ Röll 2011, p. 118.
  25. ^ "Judgement : Doenitz". Avalon Project at the Yale Law School. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/juddoeni.asp. Retrieved 17 November 2011. 
  26. ^ Range 1974, p. 86.
  27. ^ Röll 2011, p. 119.
  28. ^ Jones 1999, p. 117.
  29. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 119–123.
  30. ^ Jones 1999, pp. 31–32.
  31. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 133–134.
  32. ^ Röll 2011, pp. 135–139.
  33. ^ Laconia at the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Röll 2011, pp. 153–154.
  35. ^ Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 166.
  36. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 214.
  37. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 367.
  38. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, pp. 152–153.
Bibliography
  • Busch, Rainer & Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 – Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 3-8132-0515-0.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Hildebrand, Hans H.; Röhr, Albert; Steinmetz, Hans-Otto (1993). Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe. 4. Ratingen: Mundus Verlag. ASIN B003VHSRKE. 
  • Hildebrand, Hans H.; Röhr, Albert; Steinmetz, Hans-Otto (1993). Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe. 7. Ratingen: Mundus Verlag. ASIN B003VHSRKE. 
  • Jones, David Cledlyn (1999). The Enemy We Killed, My Friend. Llandysul, Wales: Gwasg Gomer. ISBN 1-85902-624-9.
  • Kurowski, Franz. Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 1995. ISBN 0-88740-748-X.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall (in German). ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
  • Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-355-0.
  • Röll, Hans-Joachim (2011). Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartenstein: Mit U 156 auf Feindfahrt und der Fall "Laconia" (in German). Würzburg, Germany: Flechsig. ISBN 978-3-8035-0012-0.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Korvettenkapitän Georg Waue		 Commander (in deputize) of 6th Torpedo-boat Flotilla
4 March 1940 – January 1941		 Succeeded by
Korvettenkapitän Hans Marks